About

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:
I am a fully licensed independent clinical social worker, and I offer mental health counseling to clients in the states of Texas, Florida, Georgia and Massachusetts. I completed my Bachelors of Science (BS) in Psychology from the University of Florida and my Masters in Clinical Social Work (MSW) from Florida State University. I have been working in the mental health field for almost a decade and have held positions in a variety of clinical settings serving diverse populations. My clinical experience has come from working at a suicide prevention crisis center, psychiatric hospital, high school, addiction & forensic treatment center, children’s hospital, university counseling center, and as a counseling preceptor, supervisor, and justice and equity outreach coordinator.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
I was born and raised in Florida to parents who immigrated to the United States from Pakistan many decades ago. I have a big family and am a proud husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. I am a practicing Muslim and Islam is a big part of my life, though I know many forms of religion as they are culturally practiced today have either felt harmful to some and beautiful to others. With that said, I do my best to be mindful of my clients' varying beliefs and identities, and the last thing I ever would want to do is marginalize or “other” people for who they are and who they want to be. I know personally, professionally, and socially the harm further marginalizing people's identities can be and is why much of my practice expertise is related to positive identity development and healing from discriminatory trauma.

HOW I PRACTICE:
I practice therapy in a culturally collaborative way - I aim to listen well, care deeply, guide with humility and expertise, and remain non-judgmental. In therapy, I use a trauma informed lens and tend to practice in a way that we sometimes can both cry and laugh in the same session. I hope to always be attuned to differing client needs and aim to build and foster our clinical relationship as we as mental health providers know that without a strong relationship with folks it's difficult to make progress in therapy.

I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you.